A Daily lifestyle website. Sharing the latest products on the market, Parenting stories, travel guides, and destination information you can use! Along my travels, I became a Certified Food judge so you can also enjoy Food related posts!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Macy's Rwanda Path to Peace project

"When you look at the gorgeous hand-woven baskets sold on line and in
Macy’s stores as part of the Rwanda Path to Peace program, it’s easy to
see them solely as objects of beauty. It’s hard to imagine the journey
the baskets and the women who make them have been on. In fact, each
basket represents a journey towards reconciliation.

“This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.“

In
1994, we in America were totally unaware that a mass slaughter was
taking place in Rwanda, a tiny country in the heart of Africa. In just
three months, nearly a million people, 20% of the nation’s population,
was massacred when tribal hatred between the Hutus and Tutsis turned
into ethnic slaughter. Neighbor killed neighbor in one of the worst
genocides in human history".

"After the violence ended,
many Rwandan women found themselves thrust into the unfamiliar role of
being sole breadwinners for their families, since their husbands,
fathers and sons had been killed. Others saw their husbands jailed for
committing unspeakable atrocities. Despite this savage
history, Rwanda today is a country of both hope and faith. Even though
their physical and psychological wounds were fresh after the genocide,
many women embraced an opportunity to heal. Weaving baskets became a way
forward and a way towards peace. Women from both sides of the ethnic
divide came together, wove baskets, and created an industry, which today
supports thousands of Rwandan women and their families. One American
woman who vowed to make a difference helped the Rwandan women – social
entrepreneur, artist and activist, Willa Shalit. In 2005 Shalit showed
the baskets to executives at Macy’s who committed to sell them and to go
into business with the weavers in Rwanda. Macy’s offered them a hand
up, not a handout".

Strong women want to work! They don’t want charity. Helping others
may mean giving them the means to support themselves instead of giving
them “things”.

Thirty
thousand stitches in each basket shows commitment, care and pride. Even
if you do not remember the mass killing you can appreciate the amazing
quality that is in each piece. This is the season to give a gift that
already gives lives to other just in it's making. I love backing
organizations that keep giving back!

I do remember hearing about this horrific situation when it happened. I had college friends who were from other parts of Africa, and they were devastated about something like that happening so close to their own homelands.

The baskets are beautiful. I always appreciate handcrafted items, and these certainly have even greater significance.